Machine for changing flat can bodies into cylindrical form



May 22, 1934.

A. L. KRONQUEST El AL MACHINE POR CHANGING FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Feb. 15. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill! 0?,INVENTORS M 21. W,WOMq

ATTORNEYS.

y 1934- A. L. KRONQUEST :1- AL 1,959,369

MACHINE FOR CHANGING FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Feb. 15. 1932 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 B, 3 .2 77 M f i A9 1 a 03% 1 A99 a Q0 l: -.-7 I I u m W 2?. JM,

y 1934. A. L. KRONQUEST ET AL ,959,369

MACHINE FOR CHANGING FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Feb. 15. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTORS' YM M 7n. JM. WTTORNEYS.

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MACHINE FOR CHANGING FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Feb 15,, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet -4 IMAM A TTORNEYS.

M y 1934- A. L. KRQNQUEST El AL ,959,369

MACHINE FOR CHANGING FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Feb. 15, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS.

I A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 22, 1934 MACHINE FOR C H A N GIN G FLAT CAN BODIES INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM Alfred 1.. Kronquest and Matthew Sedwick Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 15, 1932, Serial No. 593,114

8 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for changing a substantially fiat can body into cylindrical form. In order to facilitate the shipping of can bodies to distant points, which can bodies are eventually to be used in cylindrical form, it is desirable to first form the body in a flattened elliptical shape so that the bodies can be placed one on another in a relatively small space-for shipment. The present invention has to do witha machine for shaping or expanding a can body initially formed so that it is substantially flat in cross section into a cylindrical form.

An object of the invention is to provide a mai chine adapted to receive a can body which as formed has a fiat elliptical shape in cross section, which machine is provided with an expanding mandrel for shaping the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form and with pressure members for pressing the side edge portions into substantially the same cylindrical form, wherein both the expanding mandrel and the pressure means are operated from the same eccentric members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein a bumper for bumping the side edge portion on the mandrel and the central expanding anvil of the mandrel are both actuated from the same eccentric member through a mechanism which causes the mandrel to remain in a stationary position while the bumper is engaging the side edge portion of the can body thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the-above type wherein the body shaping members are mounted on pivot bolts shiftable to different set positions.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. r

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in front elevation showing a machine embodying the improvements.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a view partlyin plan and partly in section on an enlarged scale showing the mandrel and the mounting of the same.

Figure 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section through one of the pivotal supporting means for a body shaping member.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, the mandrel being shown in side elevation withcertain parts thereof broken away.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the mandrel with the anvil retracted, the body shaping members positioned to receive a can body, and with a can body placed thereon.

Figure '7 is an end View of the .mandrel and showing the housing in which it is mounted.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 5.

Figure 10 is an end view of a formed can body prior to the shaping of the same into cylindrical form.

Figure 11 is a side view partly in section of the yoke and rock lever mechanism.

The invention is directed to a machine for shaping can bodies which are initially substantially flat in cross section into cylindrical form. The can body is made by folding a blank over a mandrel which is convexo-convex in cross section, and thus a can body is produced whichis in the form of a flattened ellipse with the side walls so close together that the walls may be readily sprung into engagement, and therefore, the bodies may .be laid one on another, and will occupy a very small space for shipment. When the can bodies are taken out of the packing case, the side walls will spring apart to their elliptical form. .The invention has to do with a machine which transforms this can body after taken from the shipping case into a cylindricaliform. The machine includes a mandrel consisting of side members for shaping the portion of the can body between the edge portions thereof into a cylindrical form, and the central anvil which has an endwise movement between the shaping members for separating the same and expanding the can body. Associated with this anvil are bumping members for engaging the edge portions of the formed fiat can body for converting the side edge portions into the same cylindrical shape. The bumpers and the anvil are operated from two eccentric members and a train of devicesimparting movement to' the anvil, is so constructed that the. anvil is stationary when the bumper is engaging the can body.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the machine embodying the invention consists of a main frame 1 carrying a housing '2 at the upper end thereof in which is mounted. a mandrel '3. Said mandrel consists of a central member 4 serving as'an anvil with which bumping hamlot) to the shape shown in Fig. 10.

mers cooperate in the rounding of the side edge portions of the can body into cylindrical form. The mandrel also includes body shaping members 5 and 6. The body shaping member 5 is mounted to swing on a pivot rod '7. This pivot rod is in turn mounted in the housing and is carried by eccentric members 8 and 9 which are adapted to be turned in their bearings for the shifting of the set position of the pivot pin '7. The member 6 is mounted. on a similar pivot pin 10 having eccentric portions mounted in the housing, so that by turning these eccentric portions, the pivot pin 10 will be shifted to different set positions. The shaping members are normally moved toward each other by a spring 11 engaging a pin 12 on the member 5 and a pin 13 on the member 6. Fixed to the side members of the mandrel are stops 14 which are secured thereto by bolts 14a passing through slots in these stops. The stops are adapted to be shifted todiiferent set positions lengthwise of the mandrel. The body shaping member 6 terminates in a tapered knife edge member 15. The body shaping member 5 terminates in a blunt end 16. When these members are swung on their pivots by the spring 11 so that they are in contact, this knife edge entering member overlies the body shaping member 5 as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The can body is shown at B in Fig. 10 of the drawings. In cross section, it is in the form of a flattened ellipse. The side walls 12 and b are substantially parallel. In the wall I) is a side seam 0. The edge portions d, d are so shaped that when the can bodies are stacked one on another, the walls I) and b will yield until they contact throughout substantially their entire extent, and when released they will spring apart The can body thus'shaped may be readily slipped onto this mandrel. When the can body is slipped onto the mandrel in its collapsed condition, it will be moved into contact with the stops 14 which will determine the position of the can body on themandrel. The knife edge entering member 15 will gradually separate the side walls and will cause the can body to slip onto the body shapingmembers 5 and 6.

The members. 5 and 6 are separated for expanding the can body into cylindrical form by a central anvil member 4. This central anvil member 4 is provided with a. rib 1'7 moving in an upper guide rail 18 attached to the housing 2. It is also provided with a rib 19 moving in a guide rail 20 attached to the frame of the machine. The anvil 4 is reciprocated in an endwise direction and is provided with a tapered end portion 21 which engages wear plates 22, 22 carried by the inner faces of the body shaping members 5 and 6. The side faces of the anvil are provided with wear plates 23, and at the top and bottom of the anvil are steel anvil plates 24 and 25. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the outer faces of these anvil plates 24 and 25 are such that the side edge portions d, 01 when pressed or bumped against said anvil plates, will be given the same cylindrical shape as is imparted to the can body by the body shaping members 5 and 6.

The shaping member 5 is provided with a roller 26, and the shaping member 6 is provided with a roller 2'7. These rollers are located in recesses in these body shaping members, and they bear, respectively, against the outer vertical side faces of the wear plates 23, 23. This reduces the frictional drag on the anvil member as it is moved rock arm 28 is forked at 29 and straddles a block endwise and transmits movements to the members 5 and 6 away from each other. Wear plates 22, 22 carried by the inner faces of the body shaping members 5 and 6 are provided so as to prevent any spring inwardly of members 5 and 6, when the mandrel is expanded and are so gauged, that the inner faces of these plates and the inner faces of the rollers are on a line substantially parallel with the outer faces of the members 5 and 6. The side walls of the anvil are substantially parallel to each other, and therefore, when the anvil is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, the body shaping members 5 and 6 have been moved to a position so as to produce a cyindrical shape in a can body which is of substantially uniform cross section from one end of the body to the other.

The anvil member 4 of the mandrel is moved back and forth by means of a rock arm 28. This 30 carried bythe pivot pin 31 mounted in the body of the anvil and a side plate 32 rigidly attached thereto. This side plate covers a recess in the anvil body which provides a space for the arm 28 to work in. As this arm swings on its pivot, the anvil will slide back and forth, and the radial sliding connection of the block in the forked end of the arm will permit the anvil to move in a straight line, while the end of the arm swings in a curved path.

The can body is slipped onto the mandrel when in the collapsed form shown in Fig. 6, and the anvil is then moved forward to expand the mandrel, and when the anvil reaches the forward end of its stroke, it remains stationary for a short interval of time while the side edge portions of the can body are being shaped into cylindrical form. This is done by hammers 33 and 34. The hammers 33 and 34 extend the full length of the can body and when 33 is moved downward, 34 will move upward and will engage the side edge portions of the can body directly above and below the mandrel plates 24 and 25 respectively and will convert the portions curved about a short radius into a shape corresponding to the cylindrical form of body produced by the body shaping members 5 and 6. The hammer 33 is attached to an arm 35 carried by a sleeve 36 which is fixed to a rod 3'7 mounted for vertical reciprocation in a bearing sleeve 33 carried by a bracket 38a bolted to the upper housing of the machine. This rod 37 extends through the housing and is secured by a pin 39 to an eccentric strap 40 which cooperates with an eccentric 41. Surrounding the eccentric in the 13d eccentric strap is an eccentric bushing 42 which may be turned and secured in different set positions for varying the reciprocating position of the rod 37 and the hammer carried thereby. The eccentric 41 is carried by the main actuating shaft 43. The hammer 34 is carried by a rod 44 mounted for reciprocation in a bearing sleeve 45 formed as a part of the bracket 38a. The lower end of the rod 44 is connected by a pivot pin 46 to an eccentric strap 4'7 cooperating with an eccentric 48 on the main shaft 43. Between the eccentric 43 and the eccentric strap 4'7 is an eccentric bushing 49 which may be shifted to different set positions for varying the reciprocating position of the rod 44 and thehammer carried thereby. As the main shaft rotates the hammers will be moved toward and from the anvil and caused to contact with a can body thereon, and bring about the shaping of the side edge portions of the can body. The arm 28 is actuated (Ill by a train of devices from the eccentric 48. The pivot pin 46 is extended beyond the eccentric strap and a yoke lever 50 straddles the eccentric strap and is attached to said pivot pin. This yoke lever is pivoted at 51 to a hanging bearing bar 52 which in turn is pivoted at 53 to the supporting bracket 38a. The yoke lever 50 is connected at 54 to a link 55. The link 55 is pivoted at 56 to a link member 57. This link member 57 carries an integral arm 58 and the pivot 56 passes through the end of the arm 58 and the right-hand end of the link 55. The link 55 is extended to the left of the connecting point 54 and is shaped to provide a sleeve 59. A bolt 60 passes through this sleeve and is secured in the link 57 by a pin 61. A spring 62 encircles the bolt and bears against the under side of the link 55. Stop nuts 63 are threaded onto the upper end of this bolt. The link 57 is connected at 64 to the arm 65 on a rock lever of which the arm 28 is a part. This rock lever is pivoted at 66. Directly beneath the arm 65 is a post 67 which is fixed to the frame and carries an adjustable stop bolt 68. The parts are so adjusted that when the eccentric raises the hammer 34, it will raise the left-hand end of the yoke lever 50, depressing the right-hand end thereof. The depressing of the righthand end of the yoke lever 50 will depress the end of the arm 65 and move the arm 28 so as to advance the anvil, separating the body shaping members. When the end of the arm 65 engages the stop bolts 68, no further downward movement of the arm occurs, and the anvil stops its advance movements. The yoke lever 50, however, continues to move, and will compress the spring 62, moving the parts to the position shown in Fig. 2. In other words, when the anvil reaches the forward end of its stroke determined by the position of the stop bolt 68, the hammer 34 is not stopped, but continues its upward movement engaging the edge portion of the can for the bumping and shaping of the same. The anvil is stationary during the contact of the hammer with the can body. As the hammer is retracted, the right-hand end of the yoke lever 50 is raised, but the anvil is not shifted until the link 55 contacts with the stop nuts 63. Then it is that the arm 28 is oscillated to retract the anvil. Therefore, the anvil is stationary when the hammer is given its final movement into contact with the can, and remains stationary until the hammer is given its initial retracting movement and has moved out of contact with the can body. This provides a means whereby the hammer and the anvil are both actuated from the same eccentric member and the anvil is stationary while the hammer performs its function of rounding the curved portion of the can body into cylindrical form.

The can bodies are made up in a fiat elliptical shape such as shown in Fig. 10. They are shipped in this form, and then at the place where they are to be used, they are expanded into cylindrical form, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 8. The operator takes one can at a time and slips it onto the collapsed mandrel. The entering knife edge will separate the walls, and as it is forced on, it will be opened to a certain extent. The machine is then set into operation by depressing a treadle 69 which is mounted on a shaft 70. The shaft '70 carries an arm '71 connected to a link 72, and this link in turn is connected to the clutch shifting lever (not shown). When the machine is set in motion, the shaft 43 will be rotated, and as the shaft rotates, the anvil moves forward, separating the body shaping members, which opens the body into cylindrical form. The bumpers engage the edge portions 01, d of the can body and convert these portions into the same cylindrical form. When the treadle 69 is released, the spring 73 raises the treadle and shifts the clutch so that the machine stops. A brake '74 cooperating with a drum 75 serves to stop the rotation of the shaft 43 when the clutch is released.

Attached to the frame of the machine is a lever 76 which has a right angle portion 77 extending in front of the mandrel. This lever carries a weight 78 which counterbalances the same. link 79 is connected to the lever and is pivoted at 80 to the treadle 69. When the treadle is depressed to the dotted line position, starting the machine, this hand guard lever 76 moves down across the front of the mandrel and would strike the arms of the operator if the operators hands are still engaging the can on the mandrel. This insures that the operator will withdraw his hands before the machine is set into motion.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is-

l. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross section for expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, means cooperating with said mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical form given the side walls, rotating eccentric members, and means actuated thereby for expanding the mandrel and subsequently causing said bumping means to engage the can body on the mandrel.

2. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross section for expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, means cooperating with said mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical form given the side walls, rotating eccentric members, and means actuated thereby for expanding the mandrel and subsequently causing said bumping means to engage the can body on the mandrel, said mandrel having pivoted body shaping members and a central anvil member operating to separate said body shaping members, one of said body shaping members having a tapered knife edge entering member normally overlying the front end of the other body shaping member.

3. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross section for expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, bumpers at opposite sides of the mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical form given the side walls, a rotating eccentric member, means actu ated thereby for operating one of said bumpers, a second rotating eccentric member, and means actuated thereby for operating the other bumper and for expanding the mandrel.

4. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially fiat in cross section for expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, bumpers at opposite sides of the mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical form given the side walls, a rotating eccentric member, means actuated thereby for operating one of said bumpers, a second rotating eccentric member, and means actuated thereby for operating the other bumper and for expanding the mandrel, said last-named means including devices constructed so as to expand the mandrel, holding the same stationary while the bumpers are in engagement with the can body.

5. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially fiat in cross section, said mandrel including side members, a reciprocating anvil movable between said side members, means whereby the anvil separates the side members for expanding the can body, devices cooperating with said mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical form given the side walls, rotating eccentric members, and means actuated thereby for reciprocating the anvil and for causing the bumping devices to engage the can body on the mandrel while said mandrel is at rest.

6. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross section including side members for expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, a reciprocating anvil between said side members for separating the same, devices cooperating with the anvil for bumping the side edge 1 portions into cylindrical form, rotating eccentric members for operating the bumping devices, and devices actuated by one of said rotating eccentric members for reciprocating saidanvil and holding said anvil stationary while the bumping devices are in contact with the can body.

'7. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross sectionincluding side members for'expanding the side walls of the can body into cylindrical form, a reciprocating anvil between said side members for separating the same, devices cooperating with the anvilfor bumping the side edge portions into cylindrical form, rotating eccentric members, an eccentric strap cooperating with one of said rotating eccentric members for operating one of said bumping devices, an eccentric strap cooperating with another of said eccentric members and carrying another of said bumping devices, a yoke lever pivotally connecting said last-named eccentric strap and mounted on a swinging fulcrum, a rock lever connected to said anvil for reciprocating the same, links connected to each other and to the respective yoke lever and rock lever, yielding means connecting said links for limiting the movement of one link relative to the other, and a stop member on said rock lever for stopping the movements thereof while the yoke lever continues to move so as to permit the bumping devices to engage the can body while the anvil is stationary.

8. A machine for forming cylindrical can bodies comprising an expanding mandrel adapted to receive a can body substantially flat in cross section for expanding the side walls of the can body into cyl'ndrical form, devices cooperating with the mandrel for bumping the side edge portions into the cylindrical fgrm given the side walls, a main shaft, devices actuated thereby for operating said bumping devices and for expanding and collapsing the mandrel, a manually operated lever for controlling the operation of said actuating shaft, and a guard lever connected to said manually operated means and movable across the axis of the mandrel in front thereof when said manually operated lever is shifted for starting the actuating shaft.

ALFRED L. KRONQUEST. MATTHEW M. SEDWICK. 

